Cheneys made $36 million last year

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The Cheneys reported income of over $36,000,000 last year, mostly through the closing of Dick's accounts at Halliburton, the global oil services company where he was CEO. Hmmmm. What really struck my eye was that Dick's wife Lynne pulled in over $948,000 for writings and speaking engagements as a "cultural commentator".

I wonder if paying the wife of one of the most politically and economically connected men in the country a huge fee for "cultural commentary" might be, well, an influential investment?

Naaahh. I'm sure Lynne's Cultural Comments are worth every penny, and the investment is in her vast wisdom, not in Dick's good graces.

-- Bemused (and_amazed@you.people), April 14, 2001

Answers

And the Bushes reported only $894,000 in income!

-- Bemused (and_amazed@you.people), April 14, 2001.

Fat, greedy, pigs.

-- (big bucks for being @ big. dick), April 14, 2001.

Hey big bucks,

Envy is a sin. Also says a lot about those who have it, envy that is, not money.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), April 14, 2001.


Thanks for the lecture Professor Deedah, but I don't envy the Cheneys or the Bushes. I pity them.

-- (money buys heart attacks @ not. happiness), April 14, 2001.

It's not really the overall income that strikes me as unseemly, it's that Lynne, a virtual unknown, gets that much in speaking fees. I consider it a form of influence peddling; corporate Joe gets approval for $75,000 to have Lynne come speak at a function because the company wants to "get to know" the Cheneys. She could probably be giving a lecture on dog grooming, and it wouldn't matter to the check writers. It's another form of soft money.

-- Bemused (and_amazed@you.people), April 14, 2001.


I could be wrong about this, but I think Dick became Vice Prez in 2001, not 2000.

-- Professor Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), April 14, 2001.

Unk - why/how did he become vice president?

The guy moves in the top circles of government and business, and he has for over a decade. People will pay his wife for BS psychobabble speeches to be able to get some face time and reserve some rolodex space with them. Over time, I maintain, folks like Lynn Cheney feel that they get a million bucks a year to speak because they're so much smarter and more worthy than, well, almost all other Americans. I think they start to feel deserving, when they really are just beneficiaries of what I call a "status-quo maintenance industry."

-- Bemused (and_amazed@you.people), April 14, 2001.


Certainly smarter than you!

-- Bemused (whiney@loser.weenie), April 14, 2001.

This is an outrage. I have never even heard of Lynne Cheney until I read your article. How can she make that much money? Bemused is right.

-- Republigoon Shenanigans (getting@your.money!!!!!!!!!), April 15, 2001.

Of course, the Cheneys *paid* over $14 million in taxes, almost 40% of their income. Lynne's income altogether paid about 6% of their *taxes*!

Somehow, I doubt this drop in the bucket purchased much influence.

-- Flint (flintc@mindspring.com), April 15, 2001.



Bemused, it's called a free market. Did her speaking fees come out of your pocket? Then what the hell are you complaining about?

-- Maria (anon@ymous.com), April 16, 2001.

It is indeed a free market, and marrying the right person seems to get you front-row seats to it. I'm not naive enough to really be outraged by this, but I want to make sure that the republican worshipers among us see tidbits like this.

-- Bemused (and_amazed@you.people), April 16, 2001.

Thanks duly noted. Both sides are guilty.

But on your marrying comment. Ah the reasons people join together in holy matrimony, they are varied to say the least.

-- Maria (anon@ymous.com), April 16, 2001.


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